A deadline for the Colorado River negotiations passed on November 11 without a resolution among the seven basin states, but officials say there is still hope for an agreement that could avoid federal intervention. The states were expected to present broad guidelines for managing water in Lakes Powell and Mead, which have both remained near critical levels in recent years. While consensus was not reached, progress was sufficient to warrant an extension of talks. The new timeline sets a mid-February deadline for reaching an agreement, with finalized guidelines required by October 2026 before the start of the 2027 water year.
The negotiations focus on future operating rules for the two reservoirs, aiming to prevent one from being drained to support the other. The outcome is significant for cities like Colorado Springs, which sources half its water from the Colorado River Basin through transbasin diversions across the Continental Divide. Since this imported water can be reused, it accounts for about 70% of total customer use in Colorado Springs. Persistent drought conditions threaten these supplies; in 2012, only 35% of expected yield was delivered from Colorado River projects. Proposals by Lower Basin states to mandate further cuts would increase these shortages.
The Colorado River starts as snowmelt in Colorado and travels southwest toward Mexico. Its water is divided between seven states: Upper Basin (Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico) and Lower Basin (Arizona, Nevada, California). The 1922 Colorado River Compact allocates each basin 7.5 million acre-feet per year over a ten-year average. Upper Basin states must ensure delivery of this allocation to the Lower Basin via storage in Lakes Mead and Powell.
Climate change has led to lower river flows while Lower Basin withdrawals from storage have remained high even during dry years upstream. This imbalance led to critical levels at Lake Mead and Lake Powell in 2021 and emergency releases from upstream reservoirs like Blue Mesa in Colorado—water that ultimately went downstream instead of bolstering Lake Powell’s storage.
Upper Basin negotiators emphasize two points: inflows into Lake Powell are consistently less than outflows because Lower Basin usage exceeds their share; and evaporation losses at Lake Powell are not being fully counted by the Lower Basin.
Becky Mitchell, serving as Colorado’s Commissioner to the Upper Basin Commission, continues to defend state interests under the Compact and opposes additional cuts on Upper Basin states beyond those imposed by natural shortages. “We continue to monitor negotiations and support Mitchell’s stance to protect all Colorado River water users in our state,” reads part of a statement from local authorities.
Colorado Springs has taken steps to prepare for possible future shortfalls with its Integrated Water Resource Plan adopted in 2017. Strategies include diversifying supply sources, expanding storage capacity, improving reuse systems, developing Arkansas River resources through agricultural partnerships, and encouraging conservation among residents—who have reduced indoor use and outdoor consumption while adopting more efficient landscaping practices.
These efforts aim to help manage scarce water resources amid ongoing negotiations over how best to share what remains available.
